The founder of G Adventures is confident about a “quicker than we think” rebound for travel, but not carefree about the challenges presented by the crippling COVID-19 pandemic that have to be overcome to get there. And when people can travel again and when they will want to are two entirely different questions, says Bruce Poon Tip.

Nevertheless, the head of the Toronto-based small group adventure travel company says he hopes and anticipates that “sometime near the end of this summer” is when people will begin to feel comfortable enough to travel again and that the Fall will provide a “decent schedule” of flights to support that desire.

But he adds, “Our biggest challenge in the travel industry is getting people comfortable getting on flights again.”

Logistically, Poon Tip says there is enormous financial pressure on airlines to begin flying again and have, in some cases, begun to resume light schedules.

And, he adds, “People are starting to travel already. I’ve seen reports of people starting to travel internally, and borders are beginning to re-open every day.”

But he believes people will return to travelling again in different stages – based on their comfort level in the safety of flying where “there’s an added complication of the close proximity of people in an airplane and this virus being present.”

But he is equally confident that there will be advances in technology – specifically bio tech – by autumn that will enable passengers to start travelling again safely and regularly.

However, he cautions, “I think until we see a vaccine, I don’t think we’ll be totally carefree.”

Poon Tip acknowledges that “right now people are scared and there are too many unknowns,” but he says, “I think the rebound will be quicker than we think.”

At the same time, the “overall landscape” of post-pandemic travel will change in many ways, says Poon Tip says, and some groups – like “borderline germaphobes” and people in their 60s and 70s will be the hardest to rebound, with the latter demographic also subject to the demands of their families. “I don’t think a lot of people want to put their 80-year-old parents on a cruise right now, or in a crowded space,” he observes.

Such groups, believes Poon Tip, will be affected, “and some may never travel the same again, or for a very long time. I’m constantly hearing people say, ‘I’m not going to do anything for two or three years, or until they have a vaccine.’”

But, he adds, in general, “humankind has a very short memory span.”

WHERE

As for where people will go when they feel comfortable enough to do so, Poon Tip says, “that’s the golden question.”

Just because destinations are opening early (Greece on July 1, for example) doesn’t mean people will be able to travel to them comfortably and affordably. And even destinations that are believed to have handled the pandemic well will be scrutinized.

Other destinations, like Australia, are taking hard stances on re-opening to travel and may not do so right away.

As for the US, Poon Tip refuses to get caught up in politics, but says, “Geez, it’s tragic what’s happening there and the lack of leadership to get that resolved – that’s going to affect us all. We’re not going to heal as a planet until we’re all in this together.”

Canada, meanwhile, has yet to decide how and when it will re-open its borders and “that’s going to play a huge part in where we can take people…”

So, where will we travel?

With so many uncertainties at present, “We may not have a choice,” Poon Tip says. “We have yet to see where all that plays out,” though he adds it will certainly be to the kind of destinations that have proper testing and tracing and are “certifiably safe” places to go.

But until then – and even though “every day seems like a month at the moment” – Poon Tip, like most of the travel industry, will continue to hope for a “miraculous rebound.”

“I think overall I’m fairly positive,” he states. “We’re looking forward now; I think it’s really been in the last week or two that we’re actually looking forward as opposed to (wondering) where our future is. It’s getting clearer every day.”